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Week
Ending November 4, 2007

Agricultural Summary

A week of completely dry weather allowed for substantial progress in
soybean and milo harvests, while fall tillage moved ahead
to 52 percent complete, well ahead of average. Wheat planting also advanced
considerably, with the crop emerging well. Topsoil moisture
rates 14 percent very short, 31 percent short, 54 percent adequate, and
1 percent surplus at the state level, a decline of 8 points in adequate
and surplus after a very dry week. Subsoil moisture rates
17 percent very short, 34 percent short, and 49 percent adequate. The
northeast, central, east-central, and south-central districts are mostly
short to very short of subsoil moisture heading into winter. There were
6.8 days suitable for fieldwork.

Field Crops Report

Corn harvest is 92 percent complete, 2 points behind
last year and 1 point behind normal. The harvest pace has been slow in
recent weeks as farmers in northern areas focus on the soybean harvest,
while a few are still waiting for fields to dry down. Soybean
harvest is 84 percent complete, slightly ahead of last year and 4 days
ahead of the 5-year average. Substantial progress was made in all districts,
including progress of 29 points in the northwest. Sorghum
harvest is 86 percent complete, the same as normal. Cotton
harvest is nearly complete at 97 percent, over 3 weeks ahead of average.
Winter wheat is 81 percent planted, slightly behind last
year but 3 days ahead of normal. Emergence is at 59 percent, the same
as the 5-year average. The crop remains in mostly good condition, with
a rating of 2 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 66 percent good, and 2 percent
excellent.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 23 percent very poor, 20
percent poor, 35 percent fair, 20 percent good, and 2 percent excellent.
Hay supply rates 10 percent very short, 33 percent short,
54 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. Stock water supply
rates 10 percent very short, 25 percent short, 65 percent adequate. Hay
and stock water supply varies by district. Reporters indicate cattle producers
are hauling water and feeding hay in the northeast, where pasture is especially
poor. There are also reports of low ponds in the south-central district.
On the positive side, one reporter in the central region described good
quantities of fall hay being put up, while fescue growth has been good
in the south-central.

Weather Summary

Average temperatures varied by region. The far northwest
corner experienced temperatures 3 degrees above normal, while the southern
third of the state was 3 to 9 degrees below average. All other regions
were normal to slightly below average. The only precipitation
was a trace recorded in a few northern and east-central counties.